Air conditioning and humidifying apparatus



Feb. 18, 1941. I. M. ALGUIRE Y AIR CONDITIONING AND HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS Filed March 17, 19159 3 SheetS- Sheet l I; M. ALGUIRE AIR CONDITIONING,AND HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS Feb. 18, 1941.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1939' Feb. 18,1941. '1 M GUiR 2,232,586

AIR counmomne AND 'HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS Filed flarch 1'7, 19:59

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fxt -2 I s Sheets-Sheet s Pu a-d- Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED ,s rAjrss PATENT mm 1 I 2,232,586. am connrriomo am) nmumrr'rnv'o arrasa'rus Ivan M. Alguire, Stratlnnore, Calif. Application March 17, 1939, Serial No. 262,581

5 Claims. (Cl. 2111-92) This invention relates to air conditioning and humidifying apparatus.

The primary object of the invention is to provide air conditioningand humidiiying apparatus that is of such construction to adaptit to port- 7 ability so that the apparatus may'be constructed as a permanent plant or one that is portable for placement where desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide air conditioning and humidifying apparatus of the foregoing character wherein thereis provided a slowly revolving drum of spaced double wall screened 1 construction with an absorbent wool between the screen walls and with. the lower side of the drum dipping into a water pan combined with a fan or blower element for drawing air to the interior of the drum for discharge at one end thereof in a humidified and cooled condition.

' '20 A still further object of the invention is to 3 apparatus wherein a casing structure having 55 front'end wall,

screened sides and one screened end wall rotatably houses a screen drum dipping into a water pan with air circulating means in the endof the screen drum at the end wall of the casing opposite the screened end wall and operative for drawing air through the screened walls of the casing structure, the wetted screen drum and discharging the same in a humidified condition from the casing structure for the cooling and humidifica- 40 tion of the air to be circulated.

with the above and other objects in view, the

invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings. and specifically claimed. 1 1 1' In the v accompanying. drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear end'elevational view of air conditioning and humidifying apparatus constructed in accordance withxthe present inven- 1 tion and showing the driving ineans'for the rotatable drum and fan blower,

Figure?! is a front end elevational view showing the an blower set into an opening in the Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view showing the double walled rotatable screen drum. with bronze wool packing or filler between the screen walls of the drum and the fan blower at one end of the drum and easing housing the 5 same,

Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 3, showing thefioating mount for the rotatable screen drum comprising a pairof journaled shafts, 10

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rear end of the apparatus showing the operating means for the shaft carrying the fan blower and one of the shafts upon which the screen drum is rotatably supported, 1

Figure 6 is a vertical detailed sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5 showing a closure wall at the rear end of the screen drum with the openingtherein through which the fan shaft extends of a size to permit floating movements of 20',

the screen drum and the manner of supporting. the ends of -the spaced screens of the double I walled drum, 1

or. configuration thereof may assume any shape 3'5 desired. The rectangular casing structure illustrated has a closed top wall, screened sides, and one screen end wall, the other end wall having an opening therein to accommodate the mounting of a blower fan. A double-walled screen drum is freely supported in the casing structure by rolling A contact with a pair of longitudinally extending shafts located below the horizontal axis 0! the drumand a bronze filler or packing is interposed between the walls of the drum, the lower side of 5 the drum dipping into a water pan for saturation of the bronze filler so that during rotation of the v drum the bronze filler is continuously wetted. One

end of the screen drum carries a closed wall while the otherend of the; drum is'open and is in pro1;r- I v MW of the blower tan so that during operation of the blower fan air is drawn into the casing through the screened walls thereof and through the wetted screen drum for discharge at the end wail of the casinsjctrmture having the opening therein in a cooled and humidified condition. Power means is provided for the operation of the blower fan and for the rotation of one of the shafts that support the screen drum to effect rotation of the drum and to maintain the same in a wetted condition during use of 'the apparatus. Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings which disclo e the preferred embodiments of the air conditioning and humidifying apparatus, there is shown a casing structure designated in general by the reference character In and of substantially rectangular formation, the casing structure being of skeleton formation and comprising top and bottom walls II and I2, respectively, connected by' perpendicular corner posts I3, relatively short upstanding flanges l4 rising from the sides and ends of the bottom wall l2 to form awater pan l5. For purposes presently to appear, the corner posts l3 at each end of the casing structure H! are connected by a horizontal cross bar l6 slightly below the horizontal center line of the casing structure. A screen wall H extends over the rear end of the casing structure l0, as shown in Figures 1, 3, and'5, the sides of the casing structure being covered by screen walls l8, whilethe front end of the casing structure has a wall plate l9 mounted therein as shown in Figures 2 and 3 with an opening 20 in said wall plate |9 surrounded by an inwardly extending flange 2 I.

A screen drum is floatingly supported in the housing structure for rotation therein and is of double-walled screen construct-ion comprising inner and outer concentric spaced screen walls 22 and 23 with an, absorbent or fibrous filler Or packing 24 therebetween, such as bronze wool, glass wool, asbestos, shredded wood or the like. The end of the screen drum adjacent the rear screen end wall ll of the casing structure is closed by an end wall 25, the inner and outer concentric screen walls being supportingly attached tothe end wall 25 bymeans of concentric annular flanges 26 facially projecting from the end wall 25. The frontend of the screen drum is entirely open and the front ends of the concentric screen walls thereof are supported and maintained in spaced relation by the ring 2'! carrying laterally directed spaced concentric flanges28 to which the ends of the screen walls 22 and 23 are attached. From an inspection of Figures 3, 4, and 6 it will be observed the peripheral edges of the end wall 26 of the screen drum and the supporting ring 21 at the front end of the drum extend outwardly of the peripheral surface of the outer screen wall 23 of the drum as shown at 29 and these extensions 29 constitute ribs that are directly engaged with the supporting means for the screen drum. It is intended that the screen drum have a floating support in the casing structure and such support includes a pair of longitudinally extending shafts 30 and 3| journaled at their ends in bearings 32 supported on the upper edges of the end wall flanges M, the ribs 29 of the end wall 25 and ring' 21 freely resting upon the rods 30 and 3| as shown more clearly in Figure 4, and when so disposed the lower side of the screen drum dips into the water pan |5 in the bottom I2 of the easing structure. The closed end wall 25 of the screen drum is disposed adjacent the rear screen wall H of the casing structure, while the open front end of the screen drum is disposed at the inner end of the front wall flange 2| as shown in Figure 3.

A blower fan 33 is mounted in the opening 20 in the front end of the casing structure by means of a longitudinally extending shaft 34 extending axially of the screen drum and is rotatably supported at its ends in bearings 35 mounted upon the cross bars H5 at the front and rear ends of the casing structure, the hub 36 of the fan 33 being anchored to the shaft 34. From an inspection of Figure 3 it will be observed that the front end of the shaft extends through the open front end of the screen drum while Figures 3 and 6 show a relatively large central opening 3'! in the rear end wall 25 of the screen drum through which the shaft 34 extends and said shaft 34 projects beyond the outer end screen wall ll of the casing structure for the mounting of a driving connection therewith.

The devices for effecting rotation of the blower fan 33 and the screen drum include an electric motor 38 mounted within the casing structure H] on a side wall thereof adjacent its upper end and at the rear end screen wall I! as illustrated, the shaft 39 of the motor extending exteriorly of the casing and carrying a pulley 40 that has a belt clrive connection 4| with the pulley 42 secured to the rear extending end of the blower fan shaft 34. A second pulley 43 secured to the projecting end of the shaft 34 has a belt connection 44 with the pulley 45 secured to the adjacent projecting end of the shaft 3|] that supports the screen drum. While the power devices illustrated show a motor having belt and pulley connections with the blower fan shaft 34 and the screen drum supporting shaft 30, it is to be understood that a variable speed motor could be employed so as to change the speed of rotation of the blower fan and drum and that a motor could be directed to the blower fan shaft 34 in lieu of the belt drive connection.

Water is supplied to the pan I5 through a water service pipe 46 illustrated'in Figure 5 as passing through the rear end wall of the casing structure with float valve mechanism 41 associated with the inner end of the pipe 46 within the casing structure to maintain a constant level of water in the pan |5. An overflow pipe 48 is shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4 for the water pan l5 and is in communication with an outlet pipe 49, the pan further having a drain pipe outlet 50 in communication with the outlet pipe 49 and valve controlled as at 5|.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent, it being noted that when the air conditioning and humidifying apparatus is in operation, the fan shaft 34 is driven at the desired speed by the motor 38 and that rotation of the fan shaft is communicated to the shaft 30 supporting the screen drum, the drum being floatingly mounted upon the two shafts 30 and 3| and rotated at a relatively slow rate of speed by frictional contact of the ribs 29 on the end wall 26 and ring 21 with the shaft 30. The lower side of the screen drum dips into the water pan l5 for the saturation of the bronze filler between the inner and outer screen walls 22 and 23 of the drum,

the saturated bronze filler being contacted by the air drum into and through the casing structure for cooling and humidifying the air. The blower fan 33 discharges the cooled and humidifled air through the opening 2| at the front end of the casing structure l0. air being drawn into the casing structure In through the screened walls I! and I8 thereof and into the interior of the drum through the concentric screened walls 22 and 23 and the wetted bronze filler 24. The Screened wall arrangement of the casing strucaasasss ture prevents the ingress of insects so that airin a substantially clean, cooled, and humidifled condition is delivered through the opening 2| at the front end of the casing structure. -As the rear end of the screen drum is closed by the wall walled drum and the wetted bronze filling to assure humidification of all of the air.

In. the form of invention illustrated in'Figures "7 and 8, the casing structure designated in general by the reference character i0 is of general skeleton construction and includes a top wall I I. a bottom wall I!- and perpendicular corner posts l3 connecting the top and bottom walls, the rear end of the casing structure being open as illustrated. but which may be covered by a screen if desired, while the front discharge end may be covered by a screen wall 09*. The frontand rear end walls of the casing structure are provided with cross bars I! extending between the corner posts is substantially midway the top and bottom thereof and upon said supports bearings '85 are mounted. to depend therefrom for ro- 'tatably supporting the fan shaft 34' extending 22' and terminating in a forwardly directed oil longitudinally of the casing and centrally thereof,the forward end of the shaft 34' carrying a fan 1 wheel 33.

A rotatable screen drum is floatingly supported in the casing structure and comprises spaced in-. ner and outer concentric screen wallsfl and 23 with an absorbent filler 24' therebetween, the ends of the screen walls 22 and 23' being connected to front and rear ring members 21' and 26', respectively, the front ring'member 21 carrying an inwardly directed conical wall section 28 extending into the inner screen cylinder lindrical wall section 2| at the front end of the casing structure constituting an outlet for, the

rotatable screen drum with the trade wind fan 33 locatedftherein and guarded thereby. The rear end wall 25* of the screen drum is inwardly dished and provides an area therein for the mounting of an electric motor 38. for the operation of the fan wheel and screen The. floating support for the rotatable'sc'reeng drum-comprises a pair of jourrialed shafts loand 3|. mounted at their ends in bearings 32' supported on angle irons l4 adjacent the bot-- tomwall l2 of the casing structure and adjacent opposite side walls thereof, the ring members 28* and 21' of the rotatable drum freely resting upon said- Journaled shafts an and 3!.

An electric motor 38 for the operation of the fan shaft and rotatable screen drum is mounted within the dished end wall I! of the screen drum as shown more clearly in Figure 8 by means of .a pair of plate hangers 60 of substantially triangular formation in elevation, the right angle comer of each plate 60 being secured as at 6| to the rear cross bar It, while the'apex of said plate 60 is secured as at 62,to' an angle iron 6% carried by the casing structure adjacent the up-- per side thereof. Thev base portion of each triangular plate 50 is bent at right angles to provide a supporting flange 64 with the two supporting flanges of the two hanger plates 60 connected bywhile a secondsmaller pulley 43, preferably a sprocket wheel, has a sprocket chain connection 44' with a sprocket wheel l5 secured to the rear .end of the drum supporting shaft 30'.

The operation of the air conditioning appara- I tus disclosed in Figures 7 and 8 is substantially It is also to be understood that any type of air circulating means may be associated with the open discharge and of the screen drum, and if' desired, the air circulating means in the form of fan wheel 33 may have substituted therefor a blower attachment associated with the open front end of the casing and'having conduits for directing the flow of cooled and humidified air. It is also to be understood that the side walls of the casing structure It" may be of screen characteristics and that water is. supplied by flow control means to the lower end of the casing structure that constitutes a water pan so that during rotation of thescreen drum the lower side thereof dips into the water pan for the thorough wetting of the absorbent 24' between the spaced conical screened walls of the drum.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the principles thereof. It is not, there- 'fore'. desired to confine the invention to the exmeans associated with one end of thescreen A drum adjacent one end of the casing structure, means for wetting the drum, means for rotating the drum and operating the air circulating means and saiddrum being constructed and arranged in said casing structure to cause air drawn into the casing structure by the air circulating means to percolate through the wetted screen drum and a be discharged exteriorly of the casing structure by the air circulating means in a cooled and humidiiled condition, the drum wetting means comprising a water pan at the bottom of the casin structure into which the lower sideof the drum dips during rotation thereof, the mounting for o the drum comprising a pair of parallel shafts disposed in the same horizontal plane below the horizontal axis of, the drum and-upon which the drum is directly freely mounted for support at opposite-ends thereof on said shafts and capable 5 of limited longitudinal movements thereon and the drum rotating means being operatively engaged with one of said shafts.

2. In air conditioning and humidifying apparatus, a screen casing structure, a floating screen 70 drum rotatably mounted therein, a blowerfan at one end of the screen drum adjacent one end of the casing structure, means for wetting the drum,

.means for rotating the drum and blower fan and said drum being constructed and arranged in said casing structure to cause air drawn into the casing structure by the blower fan to percolate through the wetted screen drum and be dis- Y pair of parallel shafts disposed in the same horizontal plane below the horizontal axis of the drum and upon which the drum is freely mounted and the drum rotating means being operatively engaged with one of said shafts, and said drum having end flanges freely riding on said shafts and capable. of limited longitudinal movements thereon with the drum rotated by frictional engagement with the driven shaft.

3. In air conditioning and humidifying apparatus, a casing structure, a floating screen drum rotatably mounted therein, air circulating means associated with one end of the drum adjacent one end of the casing structure, means for wetting the drum during rotation thereof, the other end of the screen drum having an inwardly dished end wall forming a recess and means lowered within the recess of the dished end wall for rotating the screen drum and operating the air circulating means the mounting for the screen drum comprising a pair of parallel shafts disposed in the same horizontal plane below the horizontal axis of the drum and upon which the drum is directly freely mounted for support'at opposite ends thereon on said shafts and capable of limited longitudinal movements thereon, and the drum rotating means being operatively engaged with one of said shafts.

culating means associated with the open end of the drum and adjacent end of the casing structure, aninwardly dished end wall closing the other end of the drum and means within the casing structure and located within the dished end wall of the drum for rotating the screen drum and operating the air circulating means the mounting for the screen drum comprising a pair of parallel shafts disposed in the same horizontal plane below the horizontal axis of the drum and upon which the drum is directly freely mounted for support at opposite ends thereon on said shafts and capable of limited longitudinal movements thereon, and the drum rotating means being operatively engaged with one of said shafts.

5. In air conditioning and humidifying apparatus, a casing structure, a rotatable screen drum therein, means for wetting the drum during rotation thereof, said drum having an open end adjacent one end of the casing structure, air circulating means associated with the open end of the drum and adjacent end of the casing structure, an inwardly dished end wall closing the other end of the drum and means within the easing structure and located within the dished end wall of the drum for rotating the screen drum and operating the air circulating means, said last named means comprising an electric motor in communication with a source of energy, and having supports for the motor carried by the adjacent end wall of the casing structure with the motor supported entirely independently of the rotatable screen drum the mounting for the screen drum comprising a pair of parallel shafts disposed in the same horizontal plane below the horizontal axis of the drum and upon which the drum is directly freely mounted for support at opposite ends thereon on said shafts and capable of limited longitudinal movements thereon, and the drum rotating means being operatively engaged with one of said shafts.

, IVAN M. ALGUIRE. 

